Mu Anxiao had intended to use the Golden Gate as bait once Xi'er arrived, letting Xi'er know she was after the gold. This way, even if Ouyang Ye couldn't get in, he couldn't blame the vine spirit or the wolf demon. Moreover, she could use the Golden Gate to exhaust Ouyang Ye's patience with her, allowing her to move freely in this demonic cultivation land and secretly search for secrets about Ouyang Ye.
Thinking this, she chuckled inwardly, turned around, and walked away.
Meanwhile.
As Xi'er ran onto the bridge, she came face-to-face with Song Xi. "Wife, what's wrong?" he asked, genuinely startled by Xi'er's frizzy hair and scorched robes.
Seeing Song Xi's question, Xi'er quickly stopped in front of him and, with a flash of inspiration, said, "Husband, go guard the Golden Gate for me."
"Me?" Song Xi said, pointing to himself and smiling. "Wife, I'm an elder here, wouldn't it look bad if I guarded there?"
Just then, A Xue stopped at the bottom of the bridge.
"Mu Anxiao has her eyes on my gold. If you go guard it now, I'm worried she'll try something," Xi'er said anxiously.
Conversely, Song Xi looked calm. "She's the Master's woman, after all. She wouldn't be that greedy, would she?"
"You don't understand. I know her better than anyone. She's just a greedy little brat who sees gold and her eyes light up. Now, put aside your pride and go..."
"I have other things to do," Song Xi continued to refuse.
Xi'er's face fell.
Ever since marrying Xi'er, Song Xi had always listened to her, but this was the one time he couldn't. Of course, it wasn't about pride; it was mainly because of... Mu Anxiao's relationship with Ouyang Ye. He worried that Ouyang Ye would misunderstand if he saw Song Xi guarding outside the courtyard.
In any case, for safety's sake, he had to be cautious.
"Wife..."
"Husband, I'm just asking you to stand guard at the Golden Gate, why is it so difficult?" Xi'er said, then suddenly remembered the barrier Mu Anxiao had set up. Her eyes darkened, and she added, "Forget it, you don't need to go."
"Alright..." Song Xi uttered the word, then seeing Xi'er's expression change, he became curious again. "Wife, why?"
"Mu Anxiao set up a barrier around the courtyard. I touched that barrier," Xi'er said, pointing to her frizzy hair, "and got shocked like this."
"Shocked?" Song Xi said nervously. "Wife, are you alright?" He reached out and supported Xi'er's arms.
Xi'er shook her head. "I'm fine. If I weren't, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you," she said, glancing behind her. "Mu Anxiao primarily wants to steal my Golden Gate. No, I have to..."
"I'll go guard," Song Xi interrupted. He thought that with the barrier in place, Ouyang Ye wouldn't misunderstand him.
Xi'er was stunned, a flicker of doubt crossing her face at Song Xi's sudden change of heart. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Song Xi smiled. He found Xi'er's question rather amusing.
Xi'er: "You adamantly refused just now, and now you suddenly agree." She snorted twice. "How strange."
"I didn't realize you were like this before; it was her doing. Since that's the case, I must get justice for you, wife," Song Xi said, removing his hands from Xi'er and preparing to leave.
Seeing this, Xi'er grabbed Song Xi, leaned forward, and looked at A Xue standing at the bottom of the bridge. "What are you hiding there for?" she asked, pushing Song Xi aside.
Then, A Xue stepped forward without blushing or skipping a beat. "Elder, Sect Leader, that Mu Anxiao has gone too far," he said, stopping beside Song Xi.
Song Xi turned and stared at A Xue.
Xi'er: "You heard our conversation."
A Xue dared not lie and nodded. "Elder, Sect Leader... let me go." His face was filled with excitement, anticipating Xiao Yi's pastries.
Xi'er looked at A Xue's eager expression and then at Song Xi, who had already agreed to supervise Mu Anxiao. She hesitated. "What do you think?" she asked Song Xi.
"Do you really want to go?" Song Xi looked at A Xue and asked.
A Xue nodded. "Yes, they were brought in by me, so naturally, I should see this through. Besides," he smiled, "I've been looking for you." He glanced at Xi'er and Song Xi respectively.
Song Xi frowned. "What do you want with us?"
"I want to... guard Mu Anxiao and the others alone," A Xue said excitedly.
Song Xi frowned.
Xi'er looked at A Xue's excited expression and thought about the barrier Mu Anxiao had set up. She said lightly, "I'm afraid you have no part in this."
"Why?" A Xue looked disappointed.
Xi'er: "You heard what I said to him. Mu Anxiao has set up a barrier there, and no one can get in. If you want to be electrocuted to death," she raised her chin, "you can try. But we won't be responsible for burying you."
"..." A Xue was stunned.
Song Xi, seeing this and recalling Xi'er's words, said calmly, "Why don't you go?" He suddenly didn't want to guard Mu Anxiao anymore.
Upon hearing this, Xi'er immediately shifted her gaze to Song Xi's face. "Why the change of heart?"
"I... Wife, where are you going now?" Song Xi finally asked after a long pause.
A Xue saw that this was a matter between the couple and dared not speak.
Xi'er: "I'm going to find the Master. You wait there for me. If you hear any movement from inside, stop it immediately."
"This..."
"What 'this'? You've already agreed, so it's you," Xi'er said, then turned to A Xue. "As for you, since you're so eager, I'll have someone notify you when the barrier is removed, and then you can go." She worried that A Xue might be brainwashed by Mu Anxiao and help her dig up her gold, so she decided against entrusting the task to him.
A Xue looked crestfallen. "Sect Leader, I..."
"Retire," Xi'er said coldly.
A Xue knew Xi'er had a bad temper. He thought that if he insisted further, he would surely anger her, and then being confined to that dreadful screen would be a loss greater than the gain. So, for his own safety, he replied, "Yes," and left.
After A Xue left, Xi'er turned her gaze back to Song Xi, who looked reluctant to see A Xue go. "What, unhappy that I sent your helper away?" she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Song Xi shook his head.
"Then what's with that lingering, reluctant expression?" Xi'er asked again.
Song Xi took a deep breath and met Xi'er's eyes. "You haven't ordered me around like this in a long time." He recalled the days when he used to deliberately surround Xi'er, hoping for her to command him. But after they got married, Xi'er rarely ordered him around like this. Now, he found himself reminiscing about the past.